1. Heat It Up // 2. Dangerous // 3. Way You Are // 4. Umbrella // 5. Sad Loop // 6. Where U R WHERE U R If I was to say anything about this album as a whole, it’s consistently solid but never thrilling. This could be seen as praise, but in a world … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
HYBE has gotten very good at delivering anthemic pop/rock confections from their boy groups, and I eat them up every time. Japanese act &TEAM has cornered the market on this style, but their soon-to-be-formed junior group seems poised to take up the baton. The final team will be decided as part of yet another survival … Continue reading
1. Heat It Up // 2. Dangerous // 3. Way You Are // 4. Umbrella // 5. Sad Loop // 6. Where U R UMBRELLA A K-pop song that’s almost five minutes long?!? I can’t even remember the last time I saw that, but here we are with the 4:42 minute Umbrella. Some of the … Continue reading
1. Heat It Up // 2. Dangerous // 3. Way You Are // 4. Umbrella // 5. Sad Loop // 6. Where U R WAY YOU ARE As part of my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, Infinite receive a write-up for any new material released in perpetuity, so of course that includes their fifteenth anniversary album Like … Continue reading
New SM Entertainment girl group Hearts2Hearts debuted late last month to mixed reviews. Title track The Chase is a fine slice of moody pop, but it’s an odd and underwhelming choice when couched within the agency’s storied history of debut bangers. That continues with promoted b-side Butterflies, which slows the mood even further. It’s probably … Continue reading
Treasure pre-released their single Last Night in December. It was a sturdy rock-influenced anthem that fit them well. That song re-emerges as part of their new album Pleasure, which sees the guys tackling a variety of light pop sounds. Title track Yellow takes a more laidback approach in the vein of past YG Entertainment highlights … Continue reading
We’re slowly moving out of BTS’s enlistment era and into their post-enlistment work as members return from the military with solo projects. First up was Jin late last year and now J-Hope is here with Sweet Dreams, a collaboration with soulful crooner Miguel. This follows a guest stint on Don Toliver’s LV Bag last month … Continue reading
It’s a big day for new pop releases, with BLACKPINK’s Jennie dropping her first full album at the same time as Lady Gaga unleashes her long-awaited Mayhem. Ruby has been preceded by four tracks, starting with last year’s Mantra. So far, Jennie has harnessed a diverse sound. That grab bag approach continues with the just-released … Continue reading
Comebacks from beloved, established artists are difficult. I wish I could fully embrace them, unencumbered from the legacy of incredible music that forms their foundation. But more often than not, this history gets in the way and I end up wishing for material that matches the potency of their peak artistic era. This situation happened … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe it’s already been nearly eight years since Beat Interactive’s A.C.E made their hotpants-wearing debut. As with every established idol group, there are juniors waiting in the wings and the agency’s long-gestating Newbeat is set for their debut later this month. Before that, they’ve pre-released JeLLo as a taster. “Taster” is an … Continue reading
When last we heard from BTOB, they were peddling the kind of emotive ballad they’ve become known for. This is a group that’s comfortable with its own sound and image and doesn’t often feel the need to switch things up drastically — even when they’re embarking on a new journey under their own agency. As … Continue reading
Debuting in 2019, ONEWE has amassed a large catalog of music in their just-over-five-years. Today’s album is already their third full-length and is heralded by title track The Starry Night (별 헤는 밤). Rather than tackle the moodier ballads they’ve become known for, the song is a sprightly blast of indie-rock intensity. Bright synths kick … Continue reading
8TURN’s Like A Friend had the unfortunate fate of being released in mid-December just as most music shows were going on hiatus. The guys finally promoted it (briefly) a month later, but I can’t help but think that if the song had arrived in summer it would have found a more enthusiastic audience. For me, … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
While it was easy to pigeonhole Young Posse as a joke when they first emerged, last year’s g-funk nodding Ate That found the perfect balance between funny and awesome. There’s a huge gap in the market for colorful hip-hop that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and Young Posse feel uniquely equipped to fill it. Because … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. February 2025 Overall Thoughts K-pop continued to limp along this month, though the second half of … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Defying expectations for a rookie group … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 